Hanoi (VNA) – Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung received ambassadors and chargés d’affaires of ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste in Hanoi on September 11.

On behalf of the ambassadors and chargés d’affaires, Dato’ Tan Yang Thai, Ambassador of Malaysia, which holds the rotating ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, conveyed cordial greetings from the Foreign Minister of Malaysia and those of other Southeast Asian countries to the Vietnamese official.

Trung thanked the ASEAN ambassadors and chargés d’affaires for their congratulations, and updated the diplomats on Vietnam’s recent socio-economic achievements, improvements in people’s living standards, and the country’s development orientations, especially in political and diplomatic relations moving forward.

He congratulated Malaysia on taking over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, expressing his hope that the country will continue to steer the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) toward key achievements, notably the adoption of the ASEAN Vision 2045, four strategic plans, and other practical initiatives.

The Vietnamese FM affirmed consistent regard for ASEAN as a strategic priority in Vietnam's foreign policy and remains committed to working closely with the bloc’s member states to build a united and resilient ASEAN Community with an increasingly prominent role and position in the world.

Amid conflicts, tensions, and complicated developments in many regions, ASEAN member states must continue working together to safeguard achievements, especially promoting unity to drive the bloc’s stronger growth in the future, Trung said.

He also welcomed Timor-Leste’s upcoming admission as an official member of ASEAN, stating that Vietnam always supports and actively coordinates with other ASEAN members to help Timor-Leste participate effectively and keep pace with the bloc’s development progress.

Trung hoped the diplomats will continue serving as vital bridges, making greater contributions to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and ASEAN member states, thereby joining hands to build a united and resilient ASEAN Community as a nucleus of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

The diplomats underscored Vietnam’s important role in strengthening ASEAN’s unity and centrality, as well as in shaping the ASEAN Community Vision beyond 2025.

♐ They expressed his confidence that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the leadership of Trung, will achieve greater success in implementing the country’s foreign policy, thus further improving Vietnam’s position in the region and the international arena./.